Traveling grate



H. B. HOLT TRAVELING GRATE Dec. 2, 1924. 0 1,517,421

Filed Jan. 19. 1924 2 Shams-Sheer 2 FIE-5.11-

JWa/W WIN/E6656 iw wmw Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

TRAVELING GBATE.

(Application filed January 19,1324. lerial No. 687,2fl9.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatzl, Harris B. HOLT, residing at Dormo'nt, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizsn of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Traveling Grates, of which improvements the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the structure of'traveling grates, and particularly traveling grates or the" endless chain type, whereon fuel is continuously supplied to the combustion chamber oi a furnace, and whereon the iii-brought fuel is within the combustion chamber continuously consumed. I

I have developed my invention in application to a chain grate of the particular form shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,476,337, granted me on Decemher 4th, 1923, andin that application I shall now show and describe it.

The structure in which my invention is found is illustrated in" the accompanying drawings. Figure I is a fragmentary view in plan from above (certain details sappearing in horizontal section) of the grate structure. Figure 11 is a view in vertical and longitudinal section, showing a portion of the grate structure in its assembly with the pulley which sustains it; iguie III is a detail view to larger scale," showing in side elevation the component elements of the grate structure in articulation together. Figure IV is a view in vertical and transverse section on the plane indicated by the broken line IV-JV, Figure 111. Figure V is a view of the grate bar assemblyseen in end elevation and transverse section, on the broken line V-V, Figure 111.

The grate here shown is the grate of my patent referred to above, in that it consists of a belt made up of a plurality of identical links assembled in rows and in echelon formation and articulated on rods threaded through eyes with which the links at their opposite ends are provided. Each link is formed medially with a T-shaped extension and in the assembly these T-shaped ext-ensions come into alignment and form across the grate structure substantially continuous supports for grate bars. Upon these supports so constituted the grate bars themselves are strung. The links are in the drawings indicated by the reference numeral 1. The rods upon which the rows of links in echelon formation are pivotallyunited indicated at 2." 3 are the T- shaped extensions upon the links, and {i are the grate- .bars which are strungin rows upon the supports constituted by these T- shaped entensions.

Sofar as concerns ventilation throughthe assembled lin KS, the structure is the same as that of my patent and will be understood onconsidering Figure IV of the -era wings.

As there appears, the grate bars are, inter mediate their length, spaced apart, Tenni nally however the square ends. oi grate bars when assembled present su' I tially continuous surfaces transversely of the grate. This particularly appears in Figure V. I

My present invention is found in provision of such a grate as I have indicated with means for catching the ashes as the grate at its forward end rounds thesprocket wheels or pulleys which carry, and propel it,means which prevent the ashes from falling through to foul and clog the str'uctureand which insure the eventual discharge of the ashes a direction not through the structure but from the place of lodgment outwardly and away from the structure as a whole.

Referring particularly toFigure H of the drawingslthe' endless grate structure there shown'to be carried at its forward end upon a pulley 5 which pulley. is mounted on a shaft '6. at the opposite end a will 1 s understood that this grate structure is supported on and driven by sprccket wheels. It will be understood that in place dfjthe pulleytf), sprocket wheels might be provided at this end oi the grate also. The direction of movement is in Figure 11 indi cated by an arrow, and it will be perceived that whereas along the level upper course the grate-bars stand end to end in close array, with narrow intervals between, as they round the pulley spaces 3 open between the ends of the bars. Into these spaces ashes necessarily fall and the object which I have in view is to prevent the ashes which fall into these spaces from passing through and filling and clogging the spaces between the links and beneath and between the grate bars.

The grate bars shaped and mounted as already described are additionally provided with forward extending aprons 41, and these aprons like the end walls of the grate bars extend in substantial continuity transversely of the grate and form in the assembly continuous shelves transversely of the grate. As best seen in Figure III these forward extending aprons 41 which are formed upon the grate bars 4 are shaped to be substantially concentric, when the parts are assembled, with the center of pivoting of the links one upon another. It is apparent on considering Figure II that as the grate rounds the pulley 5, spaces 8 approximately V- shaped in cross-section open between successive rows of grate bars; and with the fact in mind that the forward extending apronlike projections upon the individual grate bars are concentric with the pivots which unite the chain links, it will be perceived that these apron-like projections close the approximately V-shapeol spaces below and constitute bottoms of the pockets which so open as the structure rounds the pulley. Into these pockets some ashes necessarily fall, and in them the ashes are retained and prevented from falling through to food the structure. In the further travel of the grate these pockets, initially right side up, are inverted, and they then discharge their contents by gravity, but they then discharge their contents outwardly, in a direction away from the grate structure.

Since the grate bars are square-ended, throughout the fuel supporting reach oi the grate these square ends of successive rows of grate bars stand opposite one another, and the space between may in the designing of the grate be reduced to negligible width. It is only when in operation the structure rounds the pulley that the spaces open, and then the ashes which tall are caught and discharged in the manner already described.

It will be perceived that as this grate structure rounds the curved end of its path or" travel the spaces which open are closedbottomed. There is escape for the ashes from these pockets, neither forwardly nor rearwardly. Furthermore, this grate has an advantage which requires an additional word of explanation.

It happens that if grates of this sort are not properly attended to, discharged ashes will accumulate in a heap beneath the grate, and the grate, continuing to operate, must plow through the top of the accumulated heap. My grate with the approximately ti-shaped spaces which I have now specified, even though it has to plow through such a heap, will not pick up ashes, and will not in its operation springs from the body of the grate bar 4:,

1s a matter of great advantage, because under such conditions green coal, instead of falling through to clog the structure, merely rests in the pockets, from which it will either discharge itself or from which the attendant may easily remove it.

I claim as my invention:

In an endless chain-grate structure traveling in a curved-ended path the combination of a belt formed of interpivoted links, gratebars borne by said belt, said gratebars being arranged in rows, the grate-bars individually being square ended, and being provided with terminal aprons extending when the grate-bars are in place concentrically with the axes of pivoting of the sustaining links, said aprons cooperating with the square ends of the grate-bars to form closed-bottomed approximately V- shaped pockets which, closed throughout the level reaches, open asthe structure traverses the curved end portions of its pathway.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRIS B. HOLT. 

